Hybrid PV-Wind-Renewable Power Methane Plants
Abstract
Solar and wind resources are nearly abundantly available on earth. This resource availability enables the use of photovoltaic (PV) and wind energy technology on a large scale in most regions in the world. Long-term social sustainability requires a 100% renewable power supply on a low cost basis. The cost projections of PV and wind power are discussed on basis of the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) approach for the year 2020. First results for the degree of complementarity of PV and wind power supply are discussed, but due to the fluctuating character of both major renewable power technologies an appropriate storage technology need to be added. Thus the renewable power methane (RPM) storage option is presented. The various integration options of hybrid PV-Wind-RPM power plants are discussed. Based on cost assumptions for the year 2020 the economics for hybrid PV-Wind-RPM power plants are derived on a global scale and discussed in more detail for an exemplarily site in China. First estimates for the global energy supply potential of hybrid PV-Wind-RPM power plants show both fast increasing competitiveness of the approach and comparably short distances between the centres of demand and least cost energy supply all complemented by nearly abundant resource availability. Hybrid PV-Wind-RPM power plants are characterized by all relevant attributes for becoming a potential cornerstone of the global energy supply in the next decades.